Kindergartners at Sandburg Elementary in Mira Mesa are smiling bright after their first dental check-up yesterday. The screening is part of a new statewide effort to catch problems before they start. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has this report.
Dr. Mark Mckee is one of many dentists in the state giving free checkups at local public schools. The Department of Managed Care organized the screenings because a new law requires kids to see a dentist during their first year of school. McKee says poor dental hygiene leads to missed school days, other medical problems, and low self-esteem.
McKee : We've all seen little children with silver teeth and I'm sure there's some social stigma attached to that. They may be teased, made fun on and so forth...I mean kids are brutal...let's face it.
State officials are also backing a new discount dental program for poor and uninsured families. It’s offered by San Diego-based First Dental Health . They estimate about seven million kids in California don't have access to dental care.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
